Luther stieringer



(No Model.)

` L. STIERINGER.

ELECTRIC LIGHT GHANDELIER.

Patented Oct. 24,1882.

N, PETER Phom-Lixhognplwr. wamngxon. D. C.

UNTTE STATES PATENT EEicE.

LUTHER STIERINGER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T() HIMSELF AND CHARLES F. ITANINGTON, OF SAME PLACE, AND RICHARD N. DYER, OF MENLO PARK, N. J.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofvLetters Patent No. 266,550, dated October 24, 1882,

Application tled December-27, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it muy concern Beit known that I, LUTHER STIERINGER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Electric-Light Chandeliers, of' which the following is a specification.

The object I have in View is principally to produce means for the external wiring of lix tures for electric lamps, and more especially for the convenient and eflcient wiring for electric-light purposes ot' the gas-fixtures already in use,which are of such construction that they` cannot be wired internally, or which for other reasons it is notl desired to provide with internal wires, which means will be simple,et'ti cient, and compact in construction, can be readily applied, and will not injure the ornamental appearance ot the fixtures or present themselves an objectionable appearance; and myobuieet is further to provide an eiicient construction ot' ornamental conductors for electric lamps, designed more especially for the external wiring` of xtures, but well adapted for use wherever the conductors are necessarily exposed, and also a compact form of safety-catch, and a highly-ellieient i'orm ot' fusible link for the same, which from its construction can be made of accurately-graduated sizes for dit'terent numbers of lamps, and can be readily replaced when burned out.

My invention consists in the peculiar means employed by me to accomplish the foregoing object, as t'ully hereinafter explained, and pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure l is a perspective view ot' a chandelier embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are a perspective View and an elevation, respectively, ot' two forms ot' the distributers or connections at thejunctions of the primary and secondary conductors. Fig. 4 is a separate sectional view of the safet.ycatch. Fig. 5 is a similar View ot' the safety-catch in a slightly-modified form. Fig.` 6 is a crosssection on line mx of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents the sat'ety-catch located within the canopy of the chandelier; and Fig. 8 is a separate plan or top view ol' the safety-catch link.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all the tigures. 5o

The chandelier, to which the devices are shown as applied, has the usual supportingstem, b, sustaining` the central body, from which project the arinscarryingtheelectriclanipsa. The stem carries, as usual, a canopy, c, in the forni ofan open-top shell, and all the parts may be of any shape and ornamentation. Two primary conductors, a a, extend from the ceiling down the sides ofthe stem b. These conductors are insulated wires, which are large 6o enough to conduct the current for all the lamps ofthe chandelier. They extend below the canopy to any desired point, and terminate in two branches or distributers, 19 n, which may he horizontal ring-shaped pieces, as shown in Fig. 2, extending around the stem b and formed ot' or secured to the ends of the conductors, or these distributers may be outwardlyextending parts formed of the ends of the wires, or

otl pieces secured to such wires, as shown in 7o Fig. 3.

To the distributers 1) n are permanently i'astcned and soldered the ends ofthe pairs ot' secondary or branch conductors, fr s, after which such distributers and the connections with the secondary conductors are wrapped or covered with insulating material it' the t'orin shown in Fig. 2 is employed, for which purpose a piece of split-rubber tubing` may be secured upon each distributer. Then the distributers are 8o in the form shown in Fig. 3 they are retained in posit-ion and insulated by the clamp /c,which is made of two pieces ot' wood or similar insulating material secured together by one or more screws. This clamp has recesses formed to receive the two distributers and their connections, which recesses are separated by a solid portion oftheclamp. The clamp 7:, which may be made more or less ornamental in shape, prevents accidental contact ot' the parts with 9o each other or with the metal chandelier. The secondary conductors, l' s, run in pairs from the distributers to the lamps, the wires being` properly insulated. The separately-iiisulated wires ot' each pair are secured together by an 95 ornamental covering. This may be a wrapping of ornamental cord or metallic thread,`Z, covered with an adhesive material-such as gum or varnishso that-the covering will not fray out or become loose when the pairs of wires are cut into proper lengths. This mode of covering the pairs of insulated wires is adapted for use generally wherever the wires are necessarilyexposed. The ornamental pairs of'wires can be manufactured in any desired length and cut-up as desired. In making connections the covering can be unwound and the insulation removed to expose the end of the wire, and after the connection is made the ornamental covering may be rewound upon the end of the wire.

Instead of using the wrapping Z, the insulated wires may be run in pairs through ornamental beads t, or other forms of ornamental covering can be employed.

It 'will be seen that, in consequence of the beforedescribed mode of connecting the primary and secondary conductors, the circuits of the several lamps will be uniform in length, or nearly so, and the secondary conductors will not hang loose and irregular,distiguring the lixture; neither need they be twined around the chandelier stem and arms, since they are of an ornamental character, and may hang free from the chandelier, as shown, and extend in Y festoons from the distributers to the lamps.

The safety-catch which I use with each lixture has a block, e, of wood or other insulating material, provided with recesses at its ends, in which are placed or secured metallic plates or blocks z'. One of the wires d d is cut, and its bare ends are secured to the metal plates or blocks t' at the opposite ends of e by means of screws f. The fusible safety-catch link is secured in position, so as to complete the circuit by screws 7L, which enter the heads of screws f, Fig. 4, or turn into the blocks i, Figs. and G. The safety-catch is provided with a movable cover, c', which is secured to e by screws or otherwise, and completes the insulatinginclosing-caseof the fusible link. For chandeliers, the safety-catch is located in the open-top shell e, forming the canopy. The safety-catch is thus hidden from sight; but on account of the location of the canopy ata point below the ceiling and its construction with an open top the safety-catch can be readily reached by means ot' a step-ladder for the purpose ofinspection, for testing the wiring of the chandelier, and for replacing the fusible lin-k when destroyed, This fusible link is of peculiar con,- struction. Instead of using lead wire twisted around binding-screws or fused to metallic parts, I employ a hat link, g, of lead or other suitable material, having enlarged clamping ends g', which are provided with Vholesg2 for the reception ofthe binding-screws h. This concanopy, are applicable to wall-brackets and other forms of lixtures, as well as to chandeliers.

What I claim' isl. In fixtures for electric lamps, the combination, with the two primary conductors and the separate distributers, of the secondary conductors running in pairs to the lamps, one conductor of each pair being connected with one of the distiibuters and the other conductor with the other distributer, substantially as set forth.

2. In fixtures for electric lamps, the combination, with the primary conductors and the separate distributors, of the secondary conductors running in pairs from such distributers, each pair being composed of two separately-insulated wires secured together by an ornamentalcovering, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the primary conductors, their branches, and the pairs of second# ary conductors united to the branches of the primary conductors, aclalnp of insulating material to keep the branches separate, substantially as set forth. y

4. A safety-catch for chandeliers for electric lights, having a block of non-conducting mate` rial, screws for securing two wire ends to such block, and a safety-catch link composed of a liat strip with perforated ends secured by other screws, and completing the circuit between such wire ends, substantially as set forth.

5. In a safety-catch for electric-light chandeliers, the combination, with two wire ends, d d, of the separable case e e', of non-conducting material, the perforated safety-catch link g, and the screwsfh, substantially as described and shown.

6. ln safety-catches for chandeliers for electric lights, the'at fusible link constructed with a central web of definite carrying capacity and enlarged clamping ends, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 22d day of December, A. D. 1881.

LUTHER STIERINGER'. Witnesses Guo. T. PINCKNEY, (JHAs. H. SMITH.

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